Football statistics experts WhoScored.com take a look at the £86 million Manchester City target currently leading the Serie A scoring charts

In the pursuit of the Capocannoniere, many would have tipped the usual suspects to secure the individual accolade in Serie A. Gonzalo Higuain, who scored 36 league goals for Napoli last season, had been tipped to better that return following his switch to Juventus in the summer, while new teammate and compatriot Paulo Dybala would have been in with a good chance of landing the award. In Rome, Edin Dzeko has been scoring for fun, while Mauro Icardi is in the form of his career for Inter Milan.

Yet, the man leading the scoring charts in Serie A plies his trade for Torino.

Andrea Belotti has scored more goals (22) than any other player in Italy’s top tier this term. Only Edinson Cavani (27) and Lionel Messi (23) have scored more goals than Belotti in Europe’s top five leagues this season, to reaffirm a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘finishing’.

Only Dzeko (7.75) has gained a better rating than the young striker (7.73) in Serie A this term with the frontman unsurprisingly earning countless admirers across the continent.

A number of Europe’s top teams have understandably registered an interest in Belotti, who at the time of writing has a £86 million (€100m) release clause in his contract, which he signed in December. “If I had the chance to do it all over again today, I’d make the clause €150m,” Torino owner Urbano Cairo recently told Sky Italia. While Torino would be understandably keen to retain their key man’s services, a failure to secure a European finish would undeniably speed up his exit from the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.

Sergio Aguero, despite his recent good form, is still being linked with a move away from Manchester City, and with the club set to miss out on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, it’s thought they have instead made Belotti their number one striking target.

It’s for good reason too. Belotti has been in stunning goalscoring form for a Torino side that creates just 10.7 chances per league game, making him one of the most clinical finishers around. Indeed, of the 49 players to score 10 or more goals in Europe’s top five leagues this season, he boasts the fourth best conversion rate (27.5%).

Yet it’s not just his goalscoring exploits that has seen the list of admirers grow, but the manner with which he has scored his goals.

Any striker has a preference to the way they hit the back of the net, but not Belotti. He may have scored more headed goals (8) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season, but he’s also scored nine with his right foot and five with his left, while 21 of his 22 goals have been netted in the opposition penalty area.

While that latter statistic could see Belotti labeled as nothing more than a goal poacher, he often looks to bring others into play and create for teammates. He’s averaging more key passes per game (1.7) than any other Torino player and while he has just three assists to his name, that figure would undeniably rise with a team as ruthless as City.

With Guardiola also demanding his attackers pressure defenders, Belotti would be more than capable of carrying out the Spaniard’s wishes, with an average of 1 tackle per game a respectable return for the striker.

Belotti won’t come cheap, with Torino unwilling to drop their asking price below his £86 million release clause, but the prolific Italian is the ideal striker to fire City back to the Premier League’s summit.